Platform adjustment



| (No Model.) .4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. F. O'L-IN.

PLATFORM ADJUSTMENT.

Sheets-Sheet 3 F. OLIN. PLATFORM ADJUSTMENT.

No. 364,036. I Patented May 31, 1887.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. P. OLIN.-f

. PLATFORM ADJUSTMENT. I No. 364,036. Patented May 31, 1-887,

MQW

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.)

\VILLIAM F. OLIN, OF CHICAGO, ILIJINOIS.

PLATFORM ADJUSTMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,036, dated May 31,1887.

Application filed November 6, 1886. Serial No. 218,211. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. OLIN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements-in Harvester-Platform Adjust ments, which are fully set forthin the following specification,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a partthereof, wherein Figure 1 is a plan of portions of the frames, showingalso the drive-wheel and grain-wheel in their relations to said frames.Fig. 2 is a section at x 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a stubble-side elevationof the drive-wheel and the wheelframe and platform-frame and adjustingmechanism. Fig. 4 is a grain-side elevation of the divider and thegrain-wheel frame and the adjusting mechanism, showing also the positionof the drive-wheel in dotted lines. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of thedivider-truss strutpost.

A is the drive-wheel. The drive-wheel I frame comprises the followingparts, all rigidly joined, viz: the axle B, the parallel lever-arms BB", extending forward and hav ing the crank-wrists B" B, the forwardextension B, and the lever-arms B B The platform-frame comprises thetubular front sill, C, underneath which is secured the finger-bar C ofZ-iron, the rear sill, C, like-- the projecting end of the rear sill,and thereby formed into a journal-bearing, by which the wheel-frame ispivoted on the said rear sill, the ends of said bar being joined to thebracket E" at the front. The two parts E and E of the bar E,being spreadapart between the rear sill and the bracket E, form, respectively, thearch and chord of 'a truss of which the grainwheel bearing-block E formsthe strut-post.

The bracket E has the hook E, which protrudes through a slot, D in aflange of the strut-post D of the divider-frame and affords securementforward of said post D for the chain by which the grain end of theplatformframe is raised and lowered, as hereinafter explained. v

The raising and lowering mechanism comprises the tubular rock-shaft F,which is a sleeve placed on the rear sill, C of the platform-framebetween the side beams, C C, and provided with the parallel lever-arms FF, in line from front to rear, respectively, with the lever-arms B B ofthe wheel-frame, and provided, also, with the spur-wheel F rigid with itat the grainward or inner end, the worm G on the shaftvG,journaled insuitable bearings on the platform-framaas in the brackets g, secured tothe inner side beam, C (the worm G on said shaft engages the spur-wheelF and said shaft is provided at the upper end with a crank-handle, G inreach of the driver when seated,) the links I I, connected at one end tothe lever-arms F F and at the other end to the lever-arm B B the twoelasticallyeXtensible links, (see Fig. 3,) each one of which is composedof the spring H and the telescoping parts H and H, the former secured tothe rear part of the platform-frame and the latter to the lever-arms B BThe part H has the flange h which forms a stop for one\end of the springH, and the slot h,

the opposite end of the part H, and forming thus a stop for the otherend of the spring.

The said spring thus tends to resist but not to prevent the elongationof the composite link.

A chain, J, is secured to the forward end of the extension B, and passesthence down around a guide-pulley, j, at the stubble end of thefinger-bar, but above the same. Thence it extendsalong above thefinger-bar to the grain end, and passes around the guide-pulley j, andthence up to the hook E as hereinabove stated.

The operation of this structureis as follows: The rotation of theworm-shaft G, by means of the crank-handle G, rotates the spur-wheel Fand the tubular rock-shaft or sleeve F, and causes the lever-arms F F,by means of the links I I, to tip the lever-arms B B back or forward,according to the direction of rota chain between the pulley j and thehook E? tion of the worm-shaft, and the wheel-frameis thereby rockedabout the axis of the drivewheel, and the forwardly-projecting leverarmsB B are caused-to move downward, and the platform-frame supported on thewrists B" B' of said lever-arms B B is lowered. The forward movement ofthe lever-arms B B also-causes an elongation of theelasticallyextensible links and compresses the springs H H, and thereactionary force of said springs operates counter to the weight of theplatform-frame, and may be made suflicient to fully counterbalance thesame, so that when the worm-shaft is revolved in the opposite direction,and the leverarms B B are thereby tipped back, the entire work ofsustaining the weight of the platform-frame will be performed by saidsprings, and the force necessary to be exerted by the operator inrotating the wormshaft will be reduced to that which is needed merely toovercome the friction of the mechanism and the inertia of the partsmoved. When the wheel-frame is thus rocked, the extension B draws orslacks the chain J, and raises or lowers the grain end of the platformby shortening or lengthening the portion of The distance from thepivotof the grain-wheel frame (viz., the rear sill) to the grain-wheel axleis two-thirds of the whole length of said -frame-that is, from the pivotto the hook E.

It is therefore evident that the platform at the grain end will rise orfall two-thirds as far as the chain J is drawn or slackedthat is,thelength of chain drawn should be once and a half the distance theplatform is raised. To efl'ect this the extension B should be once and ahalf as long as the lever-arm B, (the length of the extension beingmeasured from the wrist B to the point of securement of the chain.) I donot find it necessary in practice, however, to construct these partsprecisely in these proportions,-as I have successfuly operated themachine when they varied considerably therefrom.

I claim- I 1. In combination with the drive-wheel, the drive-wheel framecomprising the axle and the -lever-arms B, the platform-frame supportedon the lever-arms, the frame in which the grain-wheel is journaled,connected and vertically adjustable relatively to the platformframe, thedrive-wheel frame having an extension, B, extending farther forward thanthe lever-arms B ,.and a chain which connects said forward extensionwith the grain-wheel frame, and guides for said chain at the oppositeends of the platform, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the drive-wheel frame comprising the lever-arm Band an arm, B", extending farther forward than said lever-arm, theplatform-frame pivoted to said lever-arm, the grain-wheel frame or leverpivoted toward the rear corner of the platform and extended forward ofthe grainwheel,

a chain connected to the forward end of said grainwheel frame andextending along the finger-bar around guides at the ends thereof andsecured to said extension B" of the wheel-frame, and the adjustingmechanism which connects the platform-frame and the drive-wheel frame,substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the drive-wheel frame comprising the lever-arm Band the extension B, the platform-frame pivoted to said lever-arm, thegrain-wheel frame pivoted to the platform-frame and extending forward ofthe grain-wheel axle, a chain connecting the forward end of thegrainwhecl frame and the forward end of the extension 13', and guidesfor the same at the opposite ends of the platform, the ratio of thelength of the extension B and the lever-arm B being substantially thesame as the ratio of the length of the grain-wheel to the distancebetween its pivot and the grain-wheel axle, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with the drive-wheel, the wheel-frame comprising thedrive-wheel axle and the lever-armsB, projecting forward, and Bprojecting upward,the platform-frame pivoted to the said lever-arms Bforward of the vertical plane of the axle, the rock-shaft F, journaledon the platform-frame behind the 7 wheel and having the lever-arms F,the links I, which connect said lever-arms to the leverarm B of thewheel-frame, and the means, substantially as shown and described, forrock ing and securing said rock-shaft.

5. In combination with the drive-wheel and the drive-wheel framecomprising the drivewheel axle and the lever-arms B, the platformframepivoted on the said lever-arms and comprising the side beams and acylindrical rear sill rigidly joining said beams, the tubular rock-shaftencircling said cylindrical rear sill and having rigid with it thelever-arms F and the spur-wheel F", and the wornrshaft G, journaled on'the platform-frame and. having a worm engaging said spur-wheel, and thelinks I I, connecting the lever-arms F F and B B, respectively,substantially as set forth.

6. The drive-wheel frame comprising the lever-arms B and B, theplatform-frame pivoted on the arms B", the grain-wheel frame adjustablyconnected to the grain end of the platform, the elastically-extensiblelinks which connect the drive-wheel frame and the platform-frame, thechain which connects the drive-wheel frame with the grain-wheel frame,and its guides at the opposite ends of the platform, all combinedsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The drive-wheel frame comprising the lever-arms B and B, theplatform-frame pivoted on the arms B, the grain-wheel frame adj ustablyconnected to the grain end of the platform,the elastically'extensiblelinks which connect the drive-wheel frame and the platform-frame, theadjusting mechanism which further connects said frames, the chain whichconnects the drive-wheel frame and the grainwheel frame, and its guidesat the opposite ends of the platform, all combined substantially asandfor the purpose set forth.

8. In combination with the drivewheel frame comprising the lever-arms Band an extension forward of said arms, the platformframe pivoted to saidlever-arms, elasticallyextensible links which connect the platformframeto the wheel-frame, the grain-wheel frame or lever pivoted to the grainend of the platform at the rear corner and extended forward of thegrain-whee], a chain which connects the forward end of said grain-wheelframe with the forward extension of the wheelframe, and guides for saidchain at the opposite ends of the fingcrbar, substantially as set forth.

9. In combination with the platform-frame hand this 1st day of November,A. D. 1886, in

the presence of twowitnesses.

' j WILLIAM F. OLIN.

Witnesses:

CHAS. S. BURTON, G. G. JACKSON.

